This invention relates to systems and methods for screening incoming calls to a mobile station, or a handset, in a cellular telephone system. Particularly, this invention relates to systems and methods for screening incoming calls to a cellular-telephone mobile station in which the mobile station performs the control function in the system or method.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed in the copending application entitled xe2x80x9cOutgoing Call Handling System and Method.xe2x80x9d invented by the same inventors, filed on the same day as the instant application, and to be assigned to the same assignee, is hereby incorporated by reference.
The screening of incoming calls is important to cellular telephone users because many cellular-telephone subscriber plans provide for billing subscribers for incoming-answered, as well as outgoing, calls. The subscriber who knows the identity of the incoming caller can choose to answer only those incoming calls for which the subscriber wishes to pay. Moreover, the subscriber who knows the identity of the incoming caller can choose to answer the call or allow the incoming caller to leave a voice message depending upon the subscriber""s priorities, time constraints, and other considerations.
There are several methods and products that allow the user of a telephone to screen incoming calls. U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,671 to Partridge cites some of them and explains their disadvantages, and its disclosure is incorporated by reference. Answering machines are probably the most popular method of call screening in use today. One of the disadvantages of the answering machine method is that a connection is made between the incoming caller and the answering machine even if the incoming call is unwanted. In a cellular system, the user of an answering machine might pay for the time the incoming caller takes to leave a message. The xe2x80x9cCaller IDxe2x80x9d feature is also a popular method of call screening. Among the disadvantages of the xe2x80x9cCaller IDxe2x80x9d feature is that some systems provide for identifying only the telephone number from which the incoming call originates. Also, state of the art cellular systems do not provide the xe2x80x9cCaller IDxe2x80x9d feature.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,671 to Partridge discloses an invention for selectively screening incoming calls for cellular telephone systems. The invention disclosed therein maintains a preselected list of caller identities, such as telephone numbers. The user predesignates treatment for each identity, such as forward to the user""s cellular telephone, offer the caller the option of paying for the call, or other treatment. An incoming call is compared to the preselected list and is treated in the manner predesignated. One of the disadvantages of this invention is that it requires predesignation of treatment. It does not allow the user to make dynamic decisions regarding how to treat the incoming call based upon the user""s needs and desires at the time of the incoming call.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,559,860 to Mizikovsky discloses an invention for screening incoming calls at a mobile station. In a manner similar to the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,671, the invention disclosed therein compares the incoming call to a preselected list containing calling party identification data and corresponding predesignated response categories. The invention responds to the incoming call in the manner indicated by the preselected list. This invention has the same disadvantages as those of the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,671. In particular, dynamic decisions by the user are not permitted.
The present invention provides processes and apparatus for screening an incoming call from an incoming call in a cellular telecommunications system. The processes are carried out by, and the apparatus comprises, a service provider and a mobile station. The mobile station answers the incoming call and places the call on hold. The mobile station connects to the service provider and places the service provider and the incoming caller on multi-party hold. The mobile station then signals the service provider to begin screening the call. In response, the service provider prompts the incoming caller for the incoming caller""s identification and then communicates this information to the mobile station. Based on this information, the mobile station can elect to accept or reject the incoming call.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a process and product to screen incoming telephone calls. It is a further object of the present invention to provide for the dynamic screening of incoming telephone calls. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide for screening of incoming calls that lessens the amount of time spent by a cellular-telephone-service subscriber answering unwanted calls and expending money paying for those calls. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a process and product to screen incoming telephone calls in which the mobile station controls the operation.